Construction set to begin on Grace’s Place after $3.3m boost

A world-first centre in Doonside for children who have had their lives turned upside down through murder is one step closer to becoming a reality.

A world-first trauma recovery and support centre for children affected by homicide, Grace's Place, is a step closer to becoming a reality after a multimillion-dollar funding boost. Pictured: Left, Anita Cobby, who was tragically murdered in Blacktown in 1986, and, right, parents Grace and Garry Lynch, who played a major role in the Grace’s Place project.

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Construction on the world’s first residential support and recovery centre for children who have lost a parent through murder is set to begin in Doonside this year after a multimillion-dollar funding boost.

Grace’s Place — named in honour of Anita Cobby’s mother, Grace Lynch — is a step closer to becoming a reality after the State Government this week committed $3.3 million towards the $10 million development.

An artist’s impression of Grace’s Place at Doonside.

The centre will cater for children aged between three and 18 years who have been affected by homicide, and will house up to 12 children and their carers at any one time, as well as being used for other support services on a daily basis.

Driving the project is the Homicide Victims Support Group (HVSG), formed in 1993 by the parents of murdered 26-year-old Anita Cobby and nine-year-old Ebony Simpson.

Anita Cobby’s sister, Kathryn Szyszka, who has worked tirelessly to make Grace’s Place a reality, said the project was now full steam ahead.

Kathryn Szyszka is the sister of murder victim Anita Cobby and has worked tirelessly with the Homicide Victims Support Group on the Grace’s Place project. Picture: John Appleyard

“Having a facility to be able to provide ongoing support for the victims of homicide, with a particular focus on children, for me, that is a huge thing to know we will be able to provide that support for them,” Ms Szyszka said.

She said her parents, Garry and Grace, would be proud to see the project start to become a reality.

“[My parents] were always wanting to help others — they were very selfless,” she said.

“They’d just be really proud of the effort of everyone involved.”

Retired Blacktown Chief Inspector Gary Raymond, who investigated the murder of Anita Cobby, said the first sod could be turned on Grace’s Place later this year.

Retired Blacktown detective Gary Raymond worked on the Anita Cobby case in the 1980s and has seen first-hand the effects of homicide on children and families.

“We knew both sides of parliament would support us, but we didn’t know how much or when,” Mr Raymond told the Blacktown Advocate.

“We are overjoyed that we can now go ahead and build it.”

Mr Raymond said the centre would cater for children all over Australia and had sparked the interest of police departments overseas looking to replicate the concept.

He said there was a vital need for Grace’s Place.

“As a detective, I saw many children who were left behind after a murder,” he said.

“The biggest issue was one of their parents was dead and the other was in custody and they were left alone and some didn’t have relative close by or those relatives are grieving really deeply and don’t have the ability to look after them.

“Grace’s Place is going to support those children until their family can recover sufficiently to look after them.”

Mr Raymond said the Lynchs would be amazed to see their dream fulfilled.

“Garry Lynch once grabbed my hand and squeezed it really tight and said, ‘Something good has to come out of something so bad’,” he said.

“This desire has come true through the formation of the HVSG and Grace’s Place.”

HVSG Executive Director Martha Jabour hoped the centre would be open as early as mid-2021.

An artist’s impression of Grace’s Place in Doonside.

“This centre will give traumatised children a safe place where they can start to heal, while also supporting their parents and other loved ones as they begin a painful journey of recovery,” Ms Jabour said.

“Our hope is that it will help children reconnect, and therefore reduce the likelihood of these terrible incidents dictating their future and leading to other forms of violence in adulthood.”

Blacktown Council, which has contributed $600,000 towards site remediation and works associated with the project, has also welcomed the news.

Mayor Stephen Bail said the announcement was “ … a tribute to the tireless efforts of HVSG Executive Director Martha Jabour and her group to see Grace’s Place coming to reality”.

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